


Ever Heard of Krav Maga?

by StarMaamMke



Series: Different Paths (A multi-fandom collection of AU prompts) [3]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Dad!Hopper, F/M, Gym Teacher/Single Parent AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 07:08:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9480530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarMaamMke/pseuds/StarMaamMke
Summary: Teacher/Single Parent AUWill Byers is getting tortured by bullies in Jim Hopper's gym class. Joyce wants to put an end to it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Series based on a prompt list created by @thebestworstidea on Tumblr. I mostly post Jopper, but this was an exercise to see what other ships I could write for. Follow me on Tumblr (@StarMaamMke or @StrangerThingsFics) or leave your prompt requests in the comments.
> 
> The List:
> 
> soulmates au  
> childhood best friends au  
> teacher/student au  
> teacher/single parent au  
> one night stand and falling pregnant au  
> meeting at a coffee shop au  
> fake relationship au  
> roommates au  
> meeting online au  
> high school popular kid/nerd au  
> partners in crime au  
> writer and editor au  
> co-stars au  
> lab partners au  
> meeting in the E.R/A&E au  
> brand new neighbours au  
> meeting at a party whilst drunk au  
> waking up with amnesia au  
> parents meeting when they take their kids to class au  
> dysfunctional relationship au  
> best friends sibling au  
> two miserable people meeting at a wedding au  
> meeting on a train ride au  
> literally bumping into each other au  
> librarian/avid reader au  
> sitting on the same park bench au  
> meeting at a support group au  
> knocking on the wrong door au  
> going away to war au  
> tourist/knowledgeable local au  
> prostitute/client au  
> doctor/companion au  
> celebrity/fan au  
> meeting at a masquerade ball au  
> one of them trying to get the other one off of drugs au  
> living in a society where their love is taboo au  
> meeting in prison au  
> cop/person getting a speeding ticket au  
> long distance relationship au  
> exes meeting again after not speaking for years au  
> ghost/living person au  
> star-crossed lovers au  
> falling in love with their best friend’s partner au  
> one of them being diagnosed with a terminal illness au  
> pretending to hate each other au  
> nanny/single parent au  
> meeting at a festival au  
> meeting again at a high school reunion au  
> boss/intern au  
> going through a divorce au
> 
> The Ships:  
> Hopper/Joyce (Stranger Things)  
> Jonathan/Steve (Stranger Things  
> Mulder/Scully (X-files)  
> Rebecca/Greg (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend)  
> Rebecca/Nathaniel (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend)  
> Han/Leia (Star Wars)  
> Henry/Eliza (Selfie)
> 
> I can't promise the prompts will be answered in an expedient manner since I am working on a story for a Stranger Things Big Bang on Tumblr, but I will definitely consider them.
> 
> Coming up in the series:
> 
> One of them trying to get the other one off of drugs AU - Jopper  
> Ghost/Living Person AU- Mulder/Scully  
> High School Popular Kid/Nerd AU - Han/Leia  
> Writer/Editor / Meeting at a Wedding AU - Jopper

Jim Hopper sauntered into the Hawkins High field house at a time that was not 8:30 in the morning (when his day was supposed to begin), nor was it 9:00 in the morning, when he hosted open office hours. Flo Halsey (his assistant) stood outside of his office, nervousness evident on her round features. She held her clipboard against her chest as though it were a light preserver. 

 

“Don’t you have to get to your morning classes?” he demanded sharply. He didn’t know why the school even gave him an assistant, let alone the agriculture teacher. 

 

“You’re late, and I told you that you had an appointment at nine on the dot.”

 

“So?”

 

“It’s 9:30. Joyce Byers has been waiting in your office for a half an hour.”

 

Jim groaned. He hated dealing with parents when he was hungover, especially Joyce. Not only was she a bundle of nerves and a helicopter parent, she was his ex-girlfriend. He thought back on all of the things she could possibly want to see him about, and came to the conclusion that it probably had something to do with her son Will leaving class with a bloody nose on Friday. The kid was clumsy, what was he supposed to do; encase him in bubble wrap?

 

Still, she was under a lot of pressure. According to the rumor mill, Lonnie had stopped paying child support full stop, and instead of relentlessly getting on the bastard’s case to help, Joyce was working doubles just about every day. Jim immediately felt guilty. Joyce was probably using a slim window of time to attend this meeting with him. He took a deep breath and pushed into his office.

 

“Over a half hour, Hop!” Okay, he felt a little less guilty. Her angry voice, deafening for one so small, reverberated through his ears and settled uneasily into his gut. He hoped he didn’t throw up in front of her, but he knew last night had been rough. 

 

“I’m sorry. What can I do for you?” She was sitting on the chair in front of his desk, cross-legged and smoking, her right leg bouncing nervously on top of her left, a faint tremble in the slim fingers that held her cigarette. She was wearing her blue work uniform, which confirmed Jim’s suspicions. He was holding her up. 

 

“My son came home with a swollen nose on Friday.”

 

Jim hunkered down behind his desk with a heavy sigh. He pinched the bridge of his nose and cringed. “I know. I can’t watch everyone, Joyce. There are twenty other kids in his Phys ed class.”

 

“You have to know that those boys live to torture him!”

 

Jim’s head jerked up. “What boys?”

Joyce scoffed. “Troy and…whatever the fat ones’ name is.”

 

“I know they aren’t the best of friends, but what does this have to do with your kid tripping and falling on his face?”

 

Joyce crossed her arms over her chest and sat back. “Did you see that happen, or is that what he told you?”

 

“Like I said, I can’t watch everyone at all times.” Sometimes he had to poke back into his office for a nip from his flask or a few pills to get him through the day. 

 

She nodded with a strange little smile. Jim noticed that her eyes seemed shiny all of a sudden. Dread settled into his throat and chest. He didn’t want her to cry. He couldn’t take a crying Joyce Byers. 

 

“I filed for divorce with Lonnie after I caught him hitting Will. He had been showing up with bumps and bruises, but he kept lying to me. It doesn’t surprise me that he’d lie to you too. I had to drag it out of him - the thing with his nose.”

 

Jim’s hands balled into fists on top of his desk. He hated Lonnie Byers, for more reasons than just Joyce. That asshole had brought pretty shady characters into Hawkins because of his gambling debt. It didn’t surprise him that the scumbag wasn’t above beating up little kids.

 

“I’m so sorry, Joyce.” His voice was soft and sincere. Joyce shrugged. No big deal. She had always hated having people fuss over her and show concern. It seemed she wanted everyone to think that she was solid teflon so they would leave her alone. 

 

“Can’t you do anything?”

 

“I can try to keep an eye on them, but if he’s not coming to me with this, my hands are tied.”

 

A tear rolled down Joyce’s cheek and she sniffed, dashing the evidence away with the heel of her hand. She looked so small and vulnerable, and Jim felt an odd stirring inside of him. He wanted to…

 

No. He could do one better.

 

“Tell you what - he’s got a pretty terrible grade in my class-”

 

“So stupid to grade someone on athletic ability- he’s trying you know!”

 

Jim raised a hand. “Yeah, yeah, we’ve covered this, Joyce. I got it. Have him come to me after school tomorrow and tell him I have an extra credit project for him.”

 

Joyce eyed him suspiciously. “It won’t get him hurt, will it, Hop?”

 

“How about a little trust here?”

 

The next day, Will Byers showed up as promised. He was small, like his mother. His owlish eyes peered up at Jim as the stood near the chair his mother had sat the day before.

 

Jim took a deep breath and smiled reassuringly. 

 

“Ever heard of Krav Maga?”


End file.
